Remnants of Frances causes flooding in Somerset County

Several roads were closed in the Meyersdale area and "a lot of basements" throughout the county were flooded, according to a dispatcher with Somerset County 9-1-1 last night.

More than a dozen basements were reported flooded in Central City alone by 8 p.m., a dispatcher said. Calls continued to come in from water-drenched residents along Glade City Road, Meyersdale and Wellersburg as the night went on, the dispatcher said.

County control also reported that Route 160 south of Berlin and Route 30 east of Reels Corner were closed because of flooding.

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No downed trees or power lines were reported as of 10 p.m.

Moreover, in Somerset Borough no flooding was reported at all. However, borough maintenance crews were out around 8 p.m. checking man holes and catch basins as a precaution, according to Steve Shaulis, a local weather observer with the National Weather Service (NWS).

In the midst of the first downpour yesterday, Somerset Borough received 2.07 inches of rain. Shaulis measured the rainfall yesterday from his backyard on Rosina Avenue from 6 a.m. until 9:10 p.m.

September rainfall "averages in the neighborhood of 3.25 to 3.50 inches," he added.

Although flooding was concentrated in the southern portion of the county, flood watches remain in effect today until 6 p.m. for the entire county, as well as all of Central Pennsylvania, according to John Lacorte, a meteorologist with NWS in State College.

Because the showers continued on and off during the night and into this morning and it takes time for flooded waters to subside, drivers still need to be cautious if they come across a flood roadway, he said.

"Don't drive through it. As little as 6 inches of fast flowing water can knock cars off the road," Lacorte added.

The burst of periodic rain drenching the area yesterday and today is remnants of Hurricane Frances, Shaulis said. These remnants create "fingerband effects, which spins off of the center of low pressure that causes heavy bands of rain in short periods of time," he said.

According to A.J. Jarosz, another local weather observer with the NWS, areas near Glencoe received 4.56 inches of rainfall since the storm started yesterday morning at 4 a.m.

"Wills Creek is way up by at least 5 feet higher than normal for this time of year," he said.

The head end of Wills Creek is about 6 miles from Meyersdale. Because the creek is "coming down through the river pretty good" that means that at least 6 miles east of Meyersdale is getting drenched, he added.

Dennis Readd and his wife, Evelyn, who are originally from this area, were among the Florida residents who escaped from Frances' path. The couple live with their children in Middleburg near Jacksonville.

His home is OK, except for one downed tree and no telephone service. He is happy that that was the only damage, he said.

"This is the first hurricane that hit Middlburg since 1968," Readd said. "I'm going to move back hear in a couple of years. I'm done with Florida," he added.